Stop Slogan-Voting. Stop Hate-Voting. Stop Being Manipulated. AFTER THE ELECTION

I am going to delay moving forward with this series until after the election. I am concerned that some people might think that I am writing these posts to influence the outcome on November 6. In truth, Public Catholic is a response to what I experienced as something akin to a call to arms after President Obama signed the HHS Mandate. That mandate may turn out to be one of the turning points in my life.

All I know for sure is that this country, especially followers of Christ, are going to have a lot of work ahead of us on November 7, no matter who wins. What I’m attempting to do with Public Catholic is for a much longer haul than this one election. I don’t want that to get washed away in the election obsession that is going to overtake all our thinking for the next week.

My writing is going to be focused more — not entirely, but more — on November 6 issues. I plan to advocate rather strongly for and against certain issues and even certain votes on those issues. But I will NOT try to tell you which candidates to vote for, and I will not tell you how I’m going to vote. My votes in the legislature are absolutely public. What I do as a citizen in the voting booth is absolutely private.

I wish there was some way Public Catholic-ers could all have a big watch party together election night. Whatever happens, I know we’ll all need a break afterwards. Americans do their politics large. Then, we go celebrate a uniquely American holiday called Thanksgiving.